CONNOQUENESSING TWP — During the early years of his life, Tim Hemmes dreamed of a professional hockey career.

For the past 10 years, he's dreamed of mobility.

Hemmes, 33, a 1999 Butler graduate, was a goalie on the Golden Tornado hockey team that lost to Central Catholic in the state finals his junior year.

“I didn't play much that year, but I saw a lot of action my senior year,” Hemmes said. “My goal after that was to try to get into junior hockey up in Canada.

“I was invited to a scouting camp, only one of five players from Pennsylvania, half of New York and half of West Virginia to go — and got to play in three games.”

He earned two shutouts, allowed one goal in the other game and was told he was the No. 1 goalie out of Pennsylvania.

“But I was 19 at the time and juniors only have a player until age 21,” Hemmes said. “No one took me because I was only available for two years. they like to get players when they're younger.”

His pro dream dashed, Hemmes played inline hockey for a few years, winning a championship in an adult league at Family Sports Center.

On July 11, 2004, his world changed.

Riding a motorcycle, he had to swerve to miss a deer and he sailed off the bike and into a guard rail along the side of the road. One of the spikes on the guard rail pierced through the top of his helmet, but not his head.

As Hemmes' body continued to sail, the spike held his head, causing a severely broken neck.

“It was pretty horrific,” Hemmes recalled. “The doctors told me they had never seen such damage to a neck on a person who survived.”

Hemmes became a quadriplegic, but hardly a dormant one.

“First thing I had to do was focus on getting better,” he said. “First step was getting off the ventilator, then it was getting out of the nursing hone, then going through rehab at Harmarville.

“I wanted to exercise my body as much as I could.”

Hemmes never gave up on life. He went on to teach kids ages 5-7 the fundamentals of hockey as a volunteer coach. Two years ago, he served as a volunteer patient for a medical breakthrough at UPMC in which a paralyzed man could move a robotic arm through thoughts. That experiment received national attention.

“I'll try anything,” Hemmes said. “I'll never give up. The last time I held my daughter, she was 18 months old. Now she's 11.

“It's about time I held her again.”

Hemmes' daughter lives with him and he continues to raise her. His battle now is replacing his special-needs van, which was totaled in an accident last month.

Hemmes is 6-foot-2 and to fit he and his wheelchair into a van, special equipment is required.

“That was the only way he could get around, to be mobile and go anywhere,” Debbie Loughry, a good friend, said. “Until it's replaced, he can't take part in his daughter's or any activities that require transportation.”

Insurance will replace the van, but the equipment Hemmes needs costs roughly $60,000.

Two hockey-related fund-raisers are in the works to help Hemmes' plight. Family Sports Center will host a hockey tournament, corn hole tourney and other family-type activities July 5.

Butler's hockey alumni will play in a celebrity hockey game against Phil Bourque and other former Pittsburgh Penguins and celebrities Sept. 13 at Warrendale Blade Runners.

“Hockey will always be a passion of mine,” Hemmes said. “I'm grateful for the support I'm getting.”

Loughry isn't surprised by it.

“Tim's attitude toward life is incredible,” she said. “Anyone feeling like they're having a bad day or rough time should meet him. My kids have met him. They've learned from him.”

An account entitled Tim's Wheels has been set up at Farmer's National Bank, 101 Meridian Road, Butler, Pa., 16001.